The Power of One (The Forever series Book Two) (24 page)

Rounding on Devon I snap at him, “You should know better
than that.” He looks annoyed of my treatment of him being so different to Cole.
“I see you every day, we work together, we go home together. Before I met Cole
we spent every minute together. Cole was right before, every day is sire time
for you. I don’t get that. I don’t get to see my sire every day whenever I want
to, and you begrudge me a couple of days? Most of which I will be trying to
catch up on the work at The Council, which by the way, I have no fucking idea
what that entails. Let alone plotting the demise of two of its members and
wondering what comes next.” Having raised my voice to a shout now both of my
boys are looking fearfully at me hoping I don’t use my Power on them in this
small aircraft. Yes, my words were said to Devon, but they were also for the
ears of Cole as neither one of them seem to care about me. Only themselves.
Which I know sounds ridiculously selfish of me but when you’ve been taking care
of yourself for centuries, like I have, it is what it is.

I draw in a deep breath and summon from god knows where a
packet of cigarettes and a lighter and pluck one out and light it. Cole looks
at me in earnest and Devon just shrugs and takes one too.

“I get it,” he says. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I do have it
good compared to you. I am lucky enough that you stay by my side and more
importantly that you want me there,” he says, knowing exactly what I want from
him, as usual. I surrender and take his hand across the table. “Thank you.”

Cole clears his throat, “I’m sorry too. I guess I have been
so wrapped up in how I was feeling I forgot to think about how all of this
change is affecting you. I love you.” He takes my hand and kisses it gently.

Satisfied that my temper tantrum has worked – for now, I sit
back and finish my cigarette in peace.

XXXXX

Finally landing in Los Angeles we make our way to X-tasy for
blood. I am inwardly climbing the walls with the craving my newfound Power has
bestowed on me and my two boys are starving as well.

Being daylight still it’s quiet, but that suits me just
fine. After talking to the manager we sit and wait while he rounds up what he
can for us in the way of feeders. Twirling my charms around impatiently we are
finally ushered into a back room, well actually they prefer to split us up if
we are all feeding, so three back rooms.

“Will you be all right on your own?” I mutter to Cole and he
nods.

“I’ve got the hang of it now.”

“Okay,” I say and disappear into the room where my feeder is
waiting. Fangs descending I approach him and taking an unconventional stance: I
sit him down and straddle him. It’s the best position, the most comfortable.

He looks alarmed but soon forgets about everything else
except the bite as I suckle deeply from him. Listening to his heart I pull back
seconds before he would pass out, having gone past the limit but needing more
than usual. Feeling stronger and less bitchy I climb off him and pat his head
patronizingly. “Thank you,” I say cheerfully and go in search of the other two
who should be finished by now.

Standing alone in the corridor is Cole who looks relieved
when he sees me. “This place gives me the creeps,” he whispers and I laugh.

“Feel better?”

“Much. Where’s Devon?”

“Dunno. Haven’t seen him.”

Shaking my head I sense him close by and push open the door
of the room I expect to find him in.

“For fuck’s sake, Dev. Really?” I inquire as I find him half
naked with his feeder pumping up and down on him.

“What?” he says. “She offered.”

I roll my eyes at him and slam the door shut. Cole is gaping
at me. “He’s fucking her?” he asks in disbelief.

“Apparently.”

“Mine didn’t offer,” he says slyly and I raise an eyebrow at
him.

“Would you have taken her up on it if she had?” I inquire
sweetly.

“Definitely not,” he says certain and I smile mysteriously
as Devon bursts back out of the room, hair dishevelled and shirt still half
undone.

“Better?” I ask sarcastically.

“Much,” he grins his sexy predatory grin and slaps Cole on
the back before heading off back to the car.

“That boy,” I mutter to myself, squashing the bolt of
jealousy I suddenly feel, as Cole and I follow and soon we are back home.

The days pass quickly and soon enough it is Monday night. I
have to Astral out at midnight to be in Milan by 9 AM Tuesday. God this is
going to start getting really confusing, I realize with a sinking feeling.

After dinner Cole takes me up to our bedroom for a goodbye
to remember him by. He slowly undresses me and gently lays me in the middle of
the bed. Removing his own attire he crawls over me and kisses me, pushing his
tongue into my mouth urgently. Grazing his tongue along my top teeth I hiss and
he chuckles. Nipping his way down my jaw to my neck he pauses. Kissing me, he
doesn’t bite me but carries on moving his mouth further and further down until
he takes my nipple in his mouth. I moan in pleasure as he moves his hand down
and pushes two fingers inside me, then three. He moves across to the other
nipple and works that one into a hard, wet point that is aching to be bitten.

Lowering his head he kisses me across my stomach and then
pulls his fingers out of me to push my legs open wider. Sucking on me I come
quickly and he moans against me. “I love you Liv,” he whispers as he moves back
over me and pushes himself deep inside. I growl as he hits the right spot. He
pulls back out teasing me and it is driving me wild. Grabbing his hips, I pull
him into me again and wrap my legs tightly around him. I push us over and pull
myself up off him, turning quickly, my legs on either side of him my back
facing him, I lower myself back onto him and he groans in delight pushing me
down hard. He drops his fangs and my hair pulled into his tight fist he bites
me swiftly as I move myself over him slowly. I come again and he moves his
other hand around to my clit and he starts to coax another orgasm from me.
Letting go of the bite he pulls my head back roughly sideways kiss me, all the
while fingers lightly playing over me while his cock is pushing against my
G-spot. I feel a double rush of pleasure shoot through me and he can’t hold on
any longer and lets himself go inside me. Breathless he flops back to the bed
as I crawl off him to lie next to him.

“Fuck that was intense,” he says in wonder.

I smile, “Mm, it really was.” Sensing his desire to ask me
not to go, I hold my hand up over his mouth. “Don’t say it,” I whisper and
climb off the bed. I go to the bathroom to have a quick shower before heading
out. Cole follows me and puts his arms around me from behind. He whispers
mischievously in my ear, “Don’t shower. Go to him as you are.” I turn with a
large smile on my face.

“Cole,” I jokingly reprimand him, “that’s just plain
naughty.” And he laughs. At least he seems to have come to terms with this
situation, “seems” being the operative word.

“I would love to see his face if you turned up smelling like
sex with me.”

I chuckle knowing exactly what his face would look like. “As
much fun as that would be for me. Probably not so much for you,” I say lightly
and push him off as I turn the shower jets on and step inside. He follows me.
“Not done with you yet,” he murmurs and picks me up and pushes me against the
wall. Getting doused with water from all sides he fucks me hard and fast and I
feed from him before he lets me go. “Hm, four times. Next time we try for
five,” he says softly and I shiver at his tone as he picks up the soap and
starts to thoroughly clean every inch of me with great relish. Surprised again
by his acceptance of this situation I am reminded of the hushed conversation I
eavesdropped on and he is plainly worried that Constantine will make good on
his threat to “throw his hat in the ring” as he put it, if Cole doesn’t play
the game his way.

Once I am clean and dry I dress carefully choosing a cream
sleeveless shirt and black skirt and of course black Louboutins. I pull my hair
into a messy bun and I am ready to go. CK said not to bother bringing anything
so all I have is my briefcase.

Cole kisses me softly. “I love you.”

“I love you too. I’ll ring you later on. Play nice with
Devon,” I smirk and he looks sad as I swirl out of our bedroom in L.A. and into
the reception at The Council HQ six thousand miles away.

XXXXX

CK is waiting for my arrival and pulls me into a tight hug
when he sees me.

“It is good to see you. Alone at last,” he smiles that
heavenly smile and I just want to ditch work and go straight back to his
penthouse.

“It’s good to see you too.” I lean my head up and he kisses
me chastely in front of Giulia who hides her smile behind the file she is
holding.

“Hi Giulia. Nice to see you too,” I say with a smile. She
hands me the file and says, “You too. Welcome to your first official day!” I
thank her and take the file, clipped to it is my ID badge.

CK leads me to the elevators and up we go hand in hand to
our offices.

“I am a bit intrigued to see what it is you, or rather we,
do here,” I say with a slight laugh and he laughs too.

“Yes, it is a bit of a mystery to those outside but you will
catch up quickly my clever girl.” I preen at his compliment. We go to my office
first and I go round the desk and place my briefcase on the floor and sit in my
new chair.

“We can talk freely in here,” CK says shutting the door.

“Freely?”

“It has been spelled so that no one can overhear us.”

“Oh. Handy trick.”

“Expensive magick, my sweet,” he corrects me. “I want to
start on this plan right away. The sooner it is over the better for all
concerned.”

“Okay, but like I said before, he is going to be suspicious
enough without us just propositioning him,” I frown.

“Oh Aefre. You really do need to think more of yourself
sometimes. He already wants you, just make it known that you are open to it as
long as I am willing to share. Leave the rest up to me.”

Raising my eyebrow I say, “Okay. I trust you.”

“Good girl. I say we make as much headway in the next two
days and then we strike next week. Of course Devon and Cole will have to come
back with you but they will leave as soon as it is done and we can have our
scheduled two days.”

Christ, he makes it sound so business-like. I scowl at him
and he shrugs, unconcerned.

A knock at the door makes him turn to open it and speak of
the devil it is Gregor.

“Constantine. I heard our new colleague was in the building,
I came to offer my welcome and my help should you need it finding your way
around.” He directs this last comment to me, shrewd pale blue eyes taking in my
appearance and widening slightly as I casually lift my legs up to place my feet
on the desk crossed at the ankles, showing off a fair bit of leg in the
process.

“Why thank you, Gregor. That is most kind of you,” I say in
the most pleasant tone I can muster for this monster that raped me and killed
my husband.

CK nods approvingly of my tactic and crosses over to perch
himself on the desk in front of me and trails a hand just as casually up and down
my leg. My eyes blaze with longing for him to touch me more like that but this
is hardly the time and the place. Still it has the desired effect and Gregor
breathes in deeply at the sexual energy that I sent charging around the room.

“Well, I have a meeting to get to,” he says reluctantly.
“Perhaps we can continue this later.” He stalks out of the room and I grin at
my sire who grins back.

Unfortunately we then get stuck into work. CK is patiently
explaining to me what it is I am supposed to do and I am overwhelmed. Who knew
there was so much work involved in keeping the world’s Vampires in check?
Christ knows how CK and I will cope once the other two have been sent to meet
their maker. Whoever that is.

A couple of hours have passed and CK hands me a form. “This
needs Gregor’s signature. Go to him and give him something to look at while
you’re there,” he orders and I gape at him. “This is your plan,” he reminds me
and I have to concede. Popping another button on the two already undone on my
shirt, I stand smoothing down my skirt.

Feeling more than a bit weird I make for Gregor’s office
knocking softly and waiting until he calls “Enter,” before I go in.

“Ah, Aefre,” he calls me and I wince but take it. “There’s
no need for you to knock.” He sits back in his chair tapping his pen on his
desk.

“I have something that needs your signature,” I say and
instead of handing it to him across the desk I move to his side and place it in
front of him. Bending down low so as to flash my tits at him I point out where
he needs to sign.

Eyes going straight to my cleavage he says, “I’ll read it
before I sign. I won’t be a moment,” and he sits forward. I turn around and
perch my rear on his desk waiting patiently, hoping that CK will make an
appearance soon as I have no idea what I’m supposed to do next. As he signs the
document, there is still no sign of my sire so I wing it and take the papers
from him with a sultry look. His eyes narrow in surprise and I stand up
straight and move around to the front of his desk.

“I take it you have thought about what I said last week?” he
inquires softly in Russian and I stop.

“I have,” I reply, also in Russian, placing the papers back
on his desk to keep my hands free should I need them.

Curious as I say no more he moves around his desk and stands
behind me. A proven method of intimidation in our kind as you cannot see your
opponent’s next move. I shift slightly to look over my shoulder at him through
lowered lashes and he catches his breath. Thank heavens that Constantine
chooses that moment to barge in, as I had nowhere to go with this scenario.
Gregor grabs my hip and turns us to face the door keeping himself behind me
still.